Massage Therapy
Whether you suffer from chronic back pain or would just like to de-stress and unwind, massage therapy can help. Student Health Services is offering seated chair massages at the Thomson Student Health Center that require no undressing and use no oils.
Appointments are available Monday through Thursday. Call (803) 576-9393.
25-minute chair massage: (803) 777-3175
Gift certificates: (803) 777-3174
Cost
A 25-minute massage is $20 for students and $22 for faculty and staff. A $15 fee will be charged to clients who do not provide at least 24-hours notice of cancelation.
Location
The massage therapist is located on the 3rd floor of The Thomson Student Health Center, behind the Russell House Student Union.
Consider recent clinical research on the efficacy of massage for pain relief:
- Massage therapy is more effective for chronic back pain than other complementary therapies.
- Massage therapy promotes relaxation and alleviates the perception of pain and anxiety in cancer patients.
- Massage therapy reduces post-traumatic headaches better than cold pack treatments.
- A pilot study conducted at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles found that massage, as part of hospital-based surgery treatment, reduces pain and muscle spasms in patients who have undergone heart bypass surgery.
- Massage stimulates the brain to produce endorphins.
How does massage relieve pain?
- A simple and direct strategy: working from the external, outer mechanisms of pain to the primary root cause.
- Focuses on the entire body system and its relationship to soft tissue and not solely on the site of pain.
Benefits of massage for pain relief:
- Helps patients become more aware of their bodies and the sources of pain
- Better familiarizes patients with the pain they experience
- Has an impact on the patient by virtue of human touch
- Improves confidence by encouraging patients to effectively cope with their pain
